The Tasmanian Government is inviting stakeholder and community feedback on a draft Bill which updates Tasmania's Defamation Act 2005.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Guy Barnett, said the Bill will maintain uniformity in defamation law across Australia, following the work of all Australian states and territories to review the legislation and agree on any necessary reforms.
"The Defamation Amendment Bill 2024 (the Bill), which has been released for comment this week, recognises the need for uniform defamation law in Australia," the Attorney-General said.
"These amendments aim to strike a balance between the need to provide fair remedies for a person whose reputation is harmed by a publication, and the need to ensure defamation laws do not place unreasonable limits on freedom of expression, particularly in the digital environment.
"They also aim to address the chilling effect that the potential threat of defamation proceedings may have on people making reports of alleged criminal and unlawful conduct, or misconduct, to police and some other complaint-handling bodies.
"As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania's Future, we are continuing to strengthen and ensure our legal system is fit-for-purpose."
The Bill is in line with the reforms agreed by the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG), and makes amendments to the Act to implement the Stage 2 Review of the Model Defamation Provisions.
State and territory Attorneys-General endorsed the Model Defamation Provisions, which each jurisdiction enacted through its own legislation.
The draft Bill along with details on how to make a submission, are available on the Department of Justice website at www.justice.tas.gov.au/community-consultation.
Submissions close at midnight on Tuesday 13 August 2024.
